anti-sway bar metallurgy

[Cube Dweller]

I need to heat up my antisway bar with a torch to change some of the bends. (OK I confess this is on my runner but I know there's some engineer/auto industry types on the 80's list).

My assumption is the sway bars are mild steel (since the MOE is constant across all alloys of steel, why spend the extra dough on high carbon, etc).

Anyone know for sure? Has anyone heated a sway bar and had bad things happen?

TIA
Tony

 

[green_machine]

I need to heat up my antisway bar with a torch to change some of the bends. (OK I confess this is on my runner but I know there's some engineer/auto industry types on the 80's list).

My assumption is the sway bars are mild steel (since the MOE is constant across all alloys of steel, why spend the extra dough on high carbon, etc).

Anyone know for sure? Has anyone heated a sway bar and had bad things happen?

TIA
Tony

You've got to be kidding me right? It's spring steel. after you do this, and it noodles, post pics...

 

[Cube Dweller]

That's why I'm asking before doing.

 

[Bear80]

I asked around town about the same thing to retro fit a larger sway bar on my celica. From what I've heard, the sway bay being spring metal needs alot of attention when working with it, so you don't snap it. Also they said to cool it off with oil not water, somthing about it being spring metal too.

 

[IdahoDoug]

No way are you going to bend your sway bar to your liking. I'm not a metallurgist, but the sway bars are indeed made of a special steel. Heating them will change the properties. Call a suspension supplier if you need details.

These are not to be messed with lightly. The torque applied to anti sway bars approaches 20,000 lbs-ft on a large SUV. That's not a typo - twenty thousand foot pounds.

DougM